Car-coupling.



No. 836,329. PATENTED NOV. 20, 1906. n. P. MORAN. GAR COUPLING.

APPLICATION FILED JULY 10, 1906.

2 SHEETS-SHEET 1 W1 T/VESSES: I flank! A TTORNE V5 A TTORNE Y5 No. 836,329. PATENTED NOV. 2o, 1906.

' D. P. MORAN.

GAR COUPLING.

Arr'nmu'lon FILED JULYiO, 190B. 1

a sums-sum 2.

[/V/TNESSES: I Mfg [/VVENTOR W V B). I 1 Q DAVID PETER MORAN, OF WICHITA, KANSAS.

CAR-COUPLING.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Nov. 20, 1906.

- Application filed July 10, 1906. Serial No. 325-521.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that 1, DAVID PETER MORAN, a

' citizen of the United States, residing at Wichita, in the county of Sedgwick and State of Kansas, have invented a new and useful Car-Coupler, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to car-couplers of the Janney type, and has for its object to improve, simplify, and cheapen the construction of this class of couplers, thereby to increase their utility, durability, and efliciency.

A further object of the invention is to provide means whereby the pivoted knuckles of comp anion couplers will mutually engage during the coupling operation in such a manner as to simultaneously swing the adjacent knuckles into locked position, each knuckle yielding to the other, thereby to prevent injury to the knuckles commonly incident to the latter when striking unyielding portions of a draw-head.

A further object is to provide improved means for locking the pivoted knuckle in coupled position and means for moving said knuckle to open position when the lockingpin is released.

A further object is to provide means whereby an initial upward pull exerted on the locking-pin will release the latter and a continued pull on said pin actuate the kicking device to move the pivoted knuckle to open position.

A further object of the invention is to pro vide a shoulder or looking seat on the vertically-movable pin and means for limiting the upward movement of said pin. I

With these and other objects in view, the invention consists in the construction and novel combination and arrangement of parts hereinafter fully described, and illustrated in the accompanying drawings, it being understood that various changes in form, proportions, and minor details of construction may be resorted to within the scope of the apshowing the pivoted knuckle in coupled or' locked position. Fig. 4 is a side elevation, partly in section, of the same.

spective view of the pivoted knuckle de- Fig. 5 is apertached. Fig. 6 is a perspective view of the locking-pin and knuckle-opener detached. Fig. 7 is a side elevation of a portion of the knuckle-opener, showing the latter in position to eject the knuckle. Fig. 8 is a similar view showing the knuckle-opener moved to operative position. Fig. 9 is a rear elevation of the pivoted knuckle and the adjacent locking-pin.

Similar numerals of reference indicate corresponding parts in all of. the figures of the drawings. I

In the accompanying drawings, 5 desig nates the draw-bar, carrying the usual coupling-head 6, the latter being-provided with the usual fixed knuckle 7 and guard-lip 8 and having a chamber or recess 9 formed therein, in which is mounted for horizontally swinging movement a pivoted knuckle 10.

The knuckle 10 is provided with the usual nose-piece 11, bifurcated horizontally at 12, for the reception of an ordinary link-coupling, and pierced by a vertical perforation 13, adapted to receive a coupling-pin when the automatic coupler is associated with the ordinary pin and link coupling. The knuckle is provided with an angular extension or tail-piece 14, the inner face of which is provided with a cam-face 15, which lies in the path of the nose-piece on the knuckle of the adjacent coupling-head, so that when the cars are coupled said knuckle will be swung rearwardly on the pivot-pin 16 within the recess or chamber 9 and thereby automatically engage the mating or companion knuckle. It will here be explained that this feature of the invention is very important, in that as the pivoted knuckles mutually contact they of of course yield to one another, which prevents damage thereto which would otherwise occur if the pivoted knuckles should strike the unyieldable guard-lip 8, wherefore it will be understood that the employment of the present cam 15 materially lengthens the life of the coupler and at the same time insures the proper interlocking of the pivoted knuckles.

Extending laterally from one side of the tail-piece 14 of the pivoted knuckle is a locking lip or projection 17, provided with an in clined or cam face 18, which cooperates with a vertically-movable locking-pin 19, slidably mounted in suitable openings or perforations 20, formed in the upper and lower faces of the coupling-head, as shown.

The locking-pin 19 is provided with an in- IIO tion the pin 19 will drop by gravity to locked position with the enlargement 22 engaging the shoulder 23 of the locking-hp 17, as best shown in dotted lines in Fig. 3 of the drawmgs.

The pin 19 is povided with a shoulder 24,

-which engages a laterally-extending lip 25,

projecting inwardly from the lower face of the coupling-head at the pin-receiving open- 'ing 20, thus servingto limit the downward movement of the pin and maintain and support the same in locked position, the upward movement of the pin being limited by a key 26, extending through a transverse recess 27 in the reduced end of the locking-pin, and which bears against the lower face of the coupling-head when the pin is elevated to released position to permit the opening movement of the pivoted knuckle.

As a means for automatically opening the pivoted knuckle 10 of the coupler, there is provided a knuckle opener or kicker, preferably in the form of a pin 28, provided with an off-set or cam-face 29, which engages the tail-piece of the adjacent knuckle when the pin is elevated, and thus swings the knuckle laterally to open or inoperative position. The pin or knuckle-opener 28 is slidably mounted for vertical movement in a groove or channel 29, formed in one side of the coupling-head, and is provided with a vertical recess or depression 30, to accomodate the tail-piece of the pivoted knuckle when the latter is swung inwardly within the recess 9 of the coupling-head. The upper or free end of the pin or knuckle-opener 28 is provided With a laterallyextending head 31 and an integral angularly-disposed arm 32, which is seated in a recess or depression 33 in the upper face of the couplinghead, there being a vertical web or flange 34 formed on the free end of the pin 28 for the purpose hereinafter referred to.

The arm 32 is formed with a recess 35 for the reception of the locking-pin 19, which latter is provided with an enlarged head 36 l and lateral flange 37, which bears against the arm 32 when the pin is in locked or operative position.

Associatedwith the locking-pin 19 is an operating-link having a pair of spaced arms "38,: which engage the opposite sides of the head 36 and are pivotally secured thereto by nating in a lateral lug or ear 41, which engages the lip 31 of the knuckle-opener when the locking-pin is elevated, and thus serves to actuate the kicker and thereby effect the opening movement of the pivoted knuckle.

The operating-lug 41 is guided in its upward movement by engagement with the flange 34 and is normally spaced from the lip 31 a suflicient distance to permit the lockingpin to be moved vertically to release position without engaging said lip. It will thus be seen that an initial upward pull exerted on the locking-pin 19 will elevate said pin until the projection 22 clears the shoulder 23 of the pivoted knuckle, and that a further upward movement of the pin will cause the lug 41 to engage the lip 31 and elevate the knuckle-opener, thus causing the cam-face 29 to bear against the adjacent end of the tail-piece and move the knuckle to open position. The coupling-heads are also preferably provided' with coincident perforations 43 for the reception of the coupling-pins when the automatic coupler is associated with an ordinary pin-and-link coupler.

In practice when it is desired to uncouple the cars, the locking-pin 19 is elevated by a chain or other suitable operating device until the inclined shoulder or cam-face 21 clears the shoulder 23 of the locking-lip 17, a further vertical movement of the locking-pin causing the lug 41 to elevate the knuckleopener so that the forward movement of the car will automatically swing the knuckle outwardly to open position and thereby release the mating or companion coupler. When the cars are uncoupled and one of the knuckles is locked in coupled position, the same may be uncoupled by elevating the locking-pin 19 in the manner before stated, the knuckleopener serving to automatically eject or move the pivoted knucke to open position, as will be readily understood. In coupling the cars, the draw-heads of adjacent couplers are brought together, thereby causing the nosepiece of one pivoted knuckle to yieldably engage the cam-face on the adjacent knuckle, thus automatically folding the knuckles rear- Wardlywithin the recess in the coupling-heads and effecting the union of said couplers. As the tail-pieces of pivoted knuckles are forced rearwardly within the recesses in the couplingheads the cam-faces 1 8 of the pivoted knuckles wil lengage the inclined faces 21 of the locking-pin and elevate the same so as to permit the tail-pieces 14 to pass rearwardly in engagement with the walls of the recess 9, the movement of the locking-pin 19 in this instance being accomplished without effecting a corresponding movement of the knuckleopener. As soon as the locking-lip clears the inclined face 21 of the locking-pin 19 the locking-pin will drop by gravity, thus causing the projection 22 to engage the shoulder 23 and lock the pivoted knuckle in coupled position, as before stated.

cam faces of the pivoted knuckles, by en-v gagement with the nose-pieces of the latter, serve to absorb any jar or impact incident to coupling the cars, and also serve to guide the pivoted knuckles when the latter are moved to open and closed position. The draw-head is reinforced and strengthened by a vertical wall 20, having a groove or recess 20 formed therein, which registers with the perforations 20 and serves to guide the lockingpin, thus forming a housing for the pin and preventing breakage of the latter.

From the foregoing description itis thought that the construction and operation of the device may be readily understood by those skilled in the art, and further description thereof is deemed unnecessary.

I Having thus described the invention, what is claimed is 1. In a car-coupler, the combination with a coupling-head having a recess formed there in, of a pivoted knuckle mounted for swinging movement within said recess, a pin mounted for vertical movement in the coupling-head for locking the pivoted knuckle in closed position, a knuckle-opener provided with a laterally-extending head projecting above the head of the coupling, and a link pivotally mounted on the locking-pin and adapted to engage the lateral head of the knuckle-opener for actuating the latter when the locking pin is moved to inoperative position.

2. In a car-coupler, the combination with a coupling-head having a recess formed therein, of a pivoted knuckle mounted for swinging movement within said recess, a lockingpin mounted for vertical movement in the coupling-head and adapted to engage the knuckle for locking the latter in closed position, a knuckle-opener, and a link pivotally mounted on the locking-pin and provided with a lateral lug adapted to engage the knuckle-opener for actuating the same when the locking-pin is moved to inoperative position.

3. In a car-coupler, the combination with a cot. pling-head having a recess formed therein, of a pivoted knuckle mounted for swinging movement within said recess, a lockingpin H101 nted for vertical movement in the coupling-head for locking the pivoted knuckle in closed position, a knuckle-opener associated with the couplinghead and provided at its upper end with a laterally-extending lug for actuating the knuckle-opener when the locking-pin is moved to inoperative position, and an arm carried by the knuckleopener and having a recess formed therein for guiding the'locking-pin.

4. In a car-coupler, the combination with a coupling-head having a recess formed therein, of a pivoted knuckle mounted for swinging movement within said recess, a lockingpin slidably mounted in the coupling-head, a knuckle-opener having a terminal head and provided with a lateral arm having a recess formed therein for the reception of the lock ing-pin, and a link pivotally mounted on the locking-pin and provided with an angular arm terminating in a laterally-extending lug adapted to engage the head of the knuckleopener for actuating the latter when the locking-pin is moved to inoperative position.

5. In a car-coupler, the combination with a coupling-head having a recess form ed therein, of a pivoted knuckle mounted for swinging movement within said recess, a verticallymovable locking-pin adapted to engage the knuckle for locking the latter in closed position, a knuckle-opener having its upper end formed with a vertical guide-flange and provided with a terminal lateral extending head, a link pivotally mounted on the locking-pin and provided with a lug adapted to engage the head of the knuckle-opener for actuating the latter when the pin is moved to inoperative position, and a shoulder formed on the locking-pin and adapted to engage the coup ling-head.

6. In a car-coupler, the combination with a coupling-head having a recess formed therein, of a pivoted knuckle mounted for swinging movement within the recess and provided with a lockinglip having an inclined face, a locking-pin slidably mounted for vertical movement in the coupling-head and provided with an inclined face adapted to engage the inclined face of the locking lip when the pivoted knuckle is moved to closed position, a knuckle-opener associated with the coupling-head, and a link pivotally-connected with the locking-pin and provided with a lateral lug spaced from the upper end of the knuckle-opener and adapted to engage and actuate the latter when the locking-pin is moved to inoperative position.

7. In a car-coupler, the combination with a coupling-head having a recess formed therein, of a pivoted knuckle mounted for swinging movement within said recess and provided with a locking-lip defining a vertical shoulder, a locking-pin carried by the coupling head and adapted to engage the shoulder for locking the pivotal knuckle in closedposition, a knuckle-opener having a cam-face for moving the pivoted knuckle to open position, a link carried by the locking-pin and adapted to engage the knuckle-opener for actuating the same when the pin is moved to inoperative position, and a shoulder on the lower ICO ICC

end of the locking-pin for supporting the same in locked position.

8. In a car-coupler, the combination with a coupling-head having a recess formed therein and provided on one face thereof with a depression, a pivoted knuckle mounted for swinging movement within said recess, a knuckle-opener associated with the couplinghead and provided witha laterally-extending arm seated within the depression of said coupling-head and having a recess formed therein,

a locking-pin mounted for vertical movement in the coupling-head and extending through the opening in the lateral arm, and a link pivotally mounted on the locking-pin and adapted to engage the knuckle-opener for actuating the same when the locking-pin is moved to inoperative position.

9. In a-car-coupler, the combination with a coupling-head having a vertically-disposed recess formed therein and provided with a de pression in its upper face, a lip extending laterally from the lower face of the couplinghead at said recess, a pivoted knuckle mounted for swinging movement on the couplinghead, a knuckle-opener associated with the coupling-head and provided with a laterallyextending arm seated Within the depression of the coupling-head and having an opening formed therein disposed in alinement with the recess in the coupling, a locking-pin mounted for vertical movement in said recess and extending through the opening in the lateral arm of the knuckle-opener, means carried by the locking-pin and adapted to engage and actuate the knuckle-opener when the locking-pin is moved to inoperative position, and a shoulder formed on the lockingpin and adapted to engage the lateral lip of the coupling-head when the locking-pin is in operative position.

10. In a car-coupler, the combination with a coupling-head having a recess formed therein, of a pivoted knuckle mounted for swinging movement within said recess, a knuckleopener having one end thereof provided with a lateral head and its opposite end formed with a cam-face adapted to engage the pivotal knuckle for moving the latter to open position, there being a recess formed in the U knuckle-opener between the cam-face and head for the reception of the pivoted knuckle when the latter is moved to closed position, a vertically-movable locking-pin, and means pivotally mounted on the locking -pin and adapted to engage the head of the knuckleopener for actuating the latter when the locking-pin is moved to inoperative position.

11. In a car-coupler, the combination with a coupling-head having arecess formed therein and provided with a vertical wall intersecting I my own I have hereto affixed my signature in the presence of two witnesses.

DAVID PETER MORAN.

Witnesses:

J. E. FAnRow, E. WEBB. 

